12.6 miles to North Cottonwood /Silver creek, elevation 9,395’
After a very long day yesterday, we decided to take it easy in the morning. We got on the trail at 8:40 am but immediately had to climb 3.3 miles and gain 1,453 feet. It wasn’t too bad since we had fresh legs. We found a beautiful meadow at 11,577’ just before the top of the climb where we stopped and had a few snacks and enjoyed the view.
Then it was downhill again all the way to our intended camp 9 miles away. The trail was steep in some spots but it wasn’t too bad and we frequently encountered water on the way down. Even though we hiked fewer miles and hours than yesterday, our feet and legs were tired.
We found a great spot to camp by Silver Creek. We washed up, made dinner and stared at the maps to plan the next couple of days. Bonus, since we are at the trailhead of Silver Creek there was a pit toilet with TP. What a luxury!
Journeys with Jeff and Ellen 